Hydraulic wrench



Jan. 17, 1967 F. 1.. HOSKIN 3,298,259

HYDRAULIC WRENCH Filed March 16, 1965 //Vl/E/V7'0A FRANKLIN L. f/OJK/N m Wx W United States Patent "i e 3,298,259 HYDRAULIC WRENCH Franklin L. Hoskin, 113 Benton, Columbia, Mo. 65201 Filed Mar. 16,1965, Sen'No. 440,217 3 Claims. (Cl. 81-129) This invention relates to improvements in wrenches of the type that include a fixed jaw and a movable jaw.

conventionally in such wrenches, the adjustable jaw is moved by means of a worm-screw rack or the like and the principal object of this invention contemplates the provision of such a wrench wherein a hydraulic force is used to move the adjustable. jaw.

Another object herein is to provide a hydraulic wrench as characterized which can be minutely adjusted and which will hold such adjustment during use.

A further obje-ctincludes a wrench of the above class that is compact in design and easy to adjust.

I To attain these objects and .such further objects as may appear herein, or be hereinafter pointed'out, reference is made to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, in whichz FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of this invention,

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section view, illustrating the hydraulic assembly and showing the jaws in a wide open position,

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2 but showing the:jaws in a closer relative position, and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIGS. 2 and 3 and illustrating a modified arrangement for the hydraulic assembly.

Referring to the drawings, this new wrench designated generally by the numeral 10, includes an elongated handle 12, preferably cylindrical although this is not required, a neck portion 14 integral with one end of handle 12 and a fixed jaw 16 integral with neck portion 14. Portion 14 is bifurcated defining the arms 18 and 20 of which arm 18 is integral with jaw 16 and arm 20 is integrally attached to jaw 16 by means of the cross member or bar 22 as best seen in FIG. 1 and thus far described, it will be seen that in general, the overall configuration of this wrench including jaw 16 is not dissimilar from many other wrenches. Likewise a movable or adjustable jaw 24, which will later be referred to in more detail, is also similar in shape to corresponding jaws of other well known wrenches since the object of this invention is to improve the means for adjusting such jaws without requiring any major changes in the jaws themselves.

By virtue of the bifurcated jaw arms 18 and 20, a central opening 26 is formed in neck portion 14 into which there extends the externally threaded neck 28 that is integral with handle 12. Handle 12 is also provided with the axial bore 30 communicating at one end with handle end 32 and terminating within the handle 12 near neck portion 14 in a reduced passageway 34 that extends through neck 28. The bore 30 near handle end 32 is threaded 36 to .receive the threaded shank 38 attached to a plunger rod 40 on which there is the piston-like head 42 that is slidably movable in bore 30 and in fluid seal ing engagement therewith. A knurled knob 44 is provided on the outer end of shank 38 to facilitate its manual rotation for moving head 42 relative to bore 30 in two respective opposite directions. A supply of oil 46 is contained in bore 30 intermediate head 42 and passageway 34 and is movable through such passageway as will appear.

The cross piece 22 is channel shaped with its open side 48 disposed towards jaws 16 and 24 as best seen in FIG. 1 and, as seen in FIG. 2., such channel extends substantially into the base portion 50 of jaw 16. A fitting 52, preferably tubular in shape, is mounted in channel 48 transversely of member 20 (FIGS. 2 and 3) and is abutted 3,298,259 Patented Jan. 17, 1967 at one end by the stud screw 54 in member 20 at one end of channel 48. Fitting 52 includes a lateral extension 56 that is designed to extend into opening 26 and con nect to neck 28 by a suitable coupling 58. A continuous passageway 60 extends through fitting 52 and extension 56 for flow communication with passageway 34.

The movablejaw 24 includes a shoulder 62 (FIG. 1) for slidable movement'in the open side of channel 48 and such shoulder 62 terminates in a cylinder 64 which is telescopically disposed on fitting 2. End 66 of cylinder 64 is closed so as to enclose end 68 of passageway 60. A spring 70 is placed in channel 48 intermediate the closed end 66 of cylinder 64 and the channel end Within the base 50 ofjaw 16. j

The operation of wrench as disclosed and described is as follows. With shank 38 unscrewed far enough to take pressure off of oil 46, the spring 70 will be expanded against cylinder end 66 to move the cylinder 64 as seen in FIG. 2 where jaws 16' and 24 are in open position. Byr'otating shank 38 clockwise, head. 42 on plunger rod 40 will act against oil 46 to move it through passageways 34 and 60 where it will act against the inside of cylinder end 66 at end 68 of passageway 60. Since fitting 52 is anchored against movement by screw54, cylinder 64 will yield to the pressure of the oil and move against spring 70 to compress it and thus move jaw 24 towards jaw 16. The distance of such movement will, of course, depend upon the amount of rotation of shank 38. Counterclockwise rotation of shank 38 will permit spring 70 to expand and move jaw 24 away from jaw 16 as previously described. 7

With reference now to FIG. 4, where like parts are given like numerals, the fitting 52 previously described is replaced by the expandable bellows 72 which is disposed relative to screw 54, cylinder 64 and spring 70 the same as fitting 52. Such bellows 72 include the flow line 74 which is connected to passageway 34 by the coupling 58 so that jaw 24 is movable as indicated above by the expansion of the bellows 72 when oil 46 is forced into it, and by action of spring 70 when pressure on the oil is released. It is thus submitted that the invention shown and described is aptly suited to achieve the purposes intended and is characterized. by a combination of highly useful and mutually cooperating elements that combine their respective and proportionate functions in accomplishing the objects sought to be obtained.

It will be understood that the phraseology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not for li-mitation and that modifications and changes can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit and purpose thereof.

1 claim:

1. A hydraulic wrench, comprising:

an elongated handle provided with an axial bore,

a neck portion with an integral fixed jaw integral with one end of said handle,

said fixed jaw including a channel shaped base with said channel disposed transversely of the longitudinal axis of said handle,

a fitting anchored in the channel of said base and including an extension removably connected to one end of said handle,

said fitting and said extension being provided with a continuous fluid passageway in flow communication with said bore,

a supply of oil in said bore,

a plunger rod reciprocally disposed in said bore intermediate said oil supply and the other end of said handle,

a movable jaw slidably disposed in said channel for movement toward and away from said fixed jaw,

a cylinder carried by said movable jaw and telescopically mounted on said fitting,

yielding means in one end of said channel in the path of movement of said cylinder,

movement of said plunger rod toward said neck portion acting to force oil through said fitting and against said cylinder whereby said cylinder moves against said yielding means with corresponding movement of said movable jaw toward said fixed jaw; and

movement of said plunger rod away from said neck portion permitting said yielding means to act on said cylinder and move said movable jaw away from said fixed jaw.

2. A hydraulic wrench, comprising,

an elongated handle,

a fixed jaw at one end of said handle,

said fixed jaw including a base,

a movable jaw,

means mounting said movable jaw on said base for movement toward and away from said fixed jaw,

a closed end cylinder carried by said movable jaw and movable therewith,

a source of hydraulic pressure carried by said handle and including a fluid passageway operatively connected to said cylinder,

means for actuating said hydraulic pressure to act on said cylinder for moving said movable jaw toward said fixed jaw, and

means on said base for acting against said movable jaw when hydraulic pressure is released to move said movable jaw away from said fixed jaw.

3. A hydraulic Wrench, comprising:

an elongated handle provided with an axial bore,

a fixed jaw at one end of said handle,

said fixed jaw including a base,

a movable jaw,

means mounting said movable jaw on said base for movement toward and away from said fixed jaw,

hydraulic fluid in said bore,

flow communication means operatively connecting one end of said bore and said movable jaw,

a shank threadably engaged in the other end of said bore,

said shank having a plunger rod slidable in said bore upon rotation of said shank to act against said hydraulic fluid and move it through said flow communication means whereby said movable jaw is moved towards said fixed jaw, and

means in said base to act against said movable jaw when said plunger rod is rendered ineffective against said hydraulic fluid to move said movable jaw away from said fixed jaw.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,271,365 7/1918 Reynolds 81129 2,517,941 8/1950 Stubbs 81129 2,706,922 4/1955 Allen 81-301 2,948,174 8/1960 Bou-rne 81129 3,211,445 10/ 1965 Rossman 269-25 References Cited by the Applicant UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,063,622 12/1936 Pfeiffer. 2,190,967 2/ 1940 Zimmerman. 2,877,645 3/1959 Nealy. 2,899,855 8/ 1959 Neville. 2,901,934 9/1959 Dunham. 3,009,371 11/1961 Hines et a1.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner. MILTON S. MEHR, Examiner. 

1. A HYDRAULIC WRENCH, COMPRISING: AN ELONGATED HANDLE PROVIDED WITH AN AXIAL BORE, A NECK PORTION WITH AN INTEGRAL FIXED JAW INTEGRAL WITH ONE END OF SAID HANDLE, SAID FIXED JAW INCLUDING A CHANNEL SHAPED BASE WITH SAID CHANNEL DISPOSED TRANSVERSELY OF THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID HANDLE, A FITTING ANCHORED IN THE CHANNEL OF SAID BASE AND INCLUDING AN EXTENSION REMOVABLY CONNECTED TO ONE END OF SAID HANDLE, SAID FITTING AND SAID EXTENSION BEING PROVIDED WITH A CONTINUOUS FLUID PASSAGEWAY IN FLOW COMMUNICATION WITH SAID BORE, A SUPPLY OF OIL IN SAID BORE, A PLUNGER ROD RECIPROCALLY DISPOSED IN SAID BORE INTERMEDIATE SAID OIL SUPPLY AND THE OTHER END OF SAID HANDLE, A MOVABLE JAW SLIDABLY DISPOSED IN SAID CHANNEL FOR MOVEMENT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID FIXED JAW, 